Urging the Missouri General
Assembly to sustain Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of House Bill 253; and providing
direction to the City Clerk.

WHEREAS, Governor
Nixon vetoed House Bill 253 because of the devastating economic impact the bill
would have on the citizens of Missouri, with one of the bill’s provisions
creating an estimated $800 - $900 million State revenue shortfall over a ten
year phase-in period; and

WHEREAS, three
leading independent credit rating agencies have stated that House Bill 253
could seriously jeopardize Missouri’s fiscal health and Missouri’s
long-standing AAA credit rating if it were to become law; and

WHEREAS, a lower
credit rating for the State results in higher bond interest rates for school
districts, cities and counties, colleges and universities, and ambulance and
fire districts; and

WHEREAS, if the
federal Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 is enacted, House Bill 253 requires
income tax rates to immediately decrease, resulting in the State of Missouri
facing a maximum first-year general revenue loss of $1.2 billion, according to
Standard & Poor’s; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri
General Assembly is set to convene on September 11, 2013, to begin considering
sustaining or overriding Governor Nixon’s vetoes of bills that were presented
to him during the 2013 legislative session; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE
COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Missouri
General Assembly is hereby urged to sustain Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of House
Bill 253;

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the City Clerk is directed to forward this resolution to Governor
Jay Nixon, all members of the Missouri General Assembly representing portions
of Kansas City and the Missouri Municipal League.